Alert signal control using message priority

ABSTRACT

An electronic communication system provides text or voice messages to remote receiving devices, such as cell phones or PDAs. The receiving devices include a function for determining a message priority, prior to providing any audible alert signal indicating that the message is received. If an incoming message has a priority that is lower than a necessary threshold, the function prevents the audible alert signal from being generated at the time the message is received.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/898,442, filed May 20, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,624,718, which is acontinuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/540,592, filed Jul. 2,2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,446,270, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 12/470,857, filed May 22, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No.8,212,661, which claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S.provisional application Ser. No. 61/055,290, filed May 22, 2008, whichare hereby incorporated by reference, in their entireties.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

This application relates to mobile telephones and other mobile portablecommunications devices, and to controlling the alert signal for suchdevices.

2. Description of Related Art

Portable cellular telephones and handheld messaging devices generallyinclude one or more transducers to provide audible, tactile or visiblealert signals indicating various forms of incoming messages. Incomingmessages may include, for example, live telephone calls, voice messages,electronic mail, and text messages. Users generally carry such portablephones and messaging devices on their person for much or all of the day,and consequently distracting alert signals may be emitted by theportable device at inappropriate times. Portable messaging systems oftenprovide a means for disabling any desired alert signal, but these meansrequire the user to manually disable the alert signal via a switch oruser input command. Likewise, re-enabling the alert signal generallyrequires manual input. Users may find it inconvenient or difficult toconsistently deactivate and reactivate the alert signal using a manualcontrol means.

SUMMARY

The present technology provides for automatic control of an audiblealert signal for a portable messaging device, based on priorityinformation determined from the incoming message. The control mayinclude controlling a quality of the alert signal based on the priorityinformation, or disabling the alert signal entirely if the priorityinformation falls below a threshold.

This technology also provides for automatic disabling and re-enabling ofan alert signal for a portable messaging device, in response to sensoryinput collected by a sensor in communication with the messaging device.The sensor may be physically near the messaging device, connected to themessaging device via a suitable interface, incorporated into the samehousing as the messaging device, or any combination of the foregoing.For example, a GPS sensor or other locating system may be integratedinto a portable messaging device configured to respond to sensor inputto determine, in conjunction with governmental, system operator, sender,or end user defined parameters, when the messaging device emits an alertsignal as notification of incoming or received messages.

For example, when a cellular phone or other portable device receivessensor input indicating that it is in motion at a speed greater than apreset limit, or has recently been in such motion within a set timeperiod, message delivery (or, alternatively, notice that a message hasbeen delivered) may be delayed until such time that the device is not inmotion (or has been not in motion for a set time period). In thismanner, alert signal notification of inbound messages, phone calls,emails, SMS texts, or even pre-set alarms (such as an internally enteredappointment reminder on the device) are delivered to the user in amanner that does not impair safety. Optionally, this setting may bechanged by the user when the user is able to deal with such messagessafely despite being in motion, such as when the user is a passenger ina vehicle, not the driver. In addition, the device may utilize locationor motion information transmitted from the vehicle, may utilize data asto the cellular tower and distance from the tower (and increasing ordecreasing signal strength indicating movement toward or away from atower), or the fact that it is “paired” with a vehicle sound system (asvia Bluetooth™) to indicate motion or potential motion.

A threshold may be defined requiring motion greater than a certainspeed, with operating logic to ensure that motion under, for example, 5miles per hour, is not sufficient to trigger disabling of the alertsignal. Likewise, when motion drops below a predetermined threshold thealert signal may be re-enabled. So as an example, a user driving at 5miles per hour has a portable messaging device (PMD) that worksnormally, but when he exceeds 5 miles per hour the PMD may sense thisand switch to a mode where all alerts other than phone calls (or evenincluding phone calls) are silenced until the vehicle reaches a speedunder 5 miles per hour again.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention, in accordance with one or more variousembodiments, is described in detail with reference to the followingfigures. The drawings depict embodiments of the invention, by way ofexample.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a portable messaging device with alert signalcontrol means.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a system using an automobile and wirelesstransmitter for alert signal control.

FIG. 3 shows a method 300 for controlling alert signaling in a portablemessaging device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary portable messaging device 100 includingfamiliar interface components such as a display screen 102, keypad 104,microphone 106, audio transducer 108 and housing 110 sized for handhelduse. A circuit 112 (shown schematically) may be enclosed in the housing110.

Circuit 112 may comprise various components in electronic communicationwith one another, including a cellular transmitter/receiver 114connected to a central processor 116. CPU 116 may be connected toreceive input from the keypad, microphone, or other input device, andoperates system and application software stored in system memory 118.CPU 116, either directly or via an interface circuit (not shown) maydrive an audio output transducer 120 for outputting an alert signaland/or audio message content. Other output signaling devices may also beused, such as a mechanical vibrator for outputting a tactile alertsignal or a signal light, such as one or more L.E.D.s, for providing avisual alert. The display 102 may also be used to provide a visual alertsignal. The CPU, memory, and cellular transmitter/receiver may beconsidered core components for performing primary communicationfunctions of device 100.

Circuit 112 may further comprise ancillary components for performingsensing functions, or for communicating with an external sensor. By wayof example, two such components are shown, a wireless frequency-hoppingspread spectrum (e.g., Bluetooth™) module 122 for communicating withexternal Bluetooth-enabled devices, and a Global Positioning System(GPS) receiver for determining geographical location. Either or both ofthese components may be used. In this disclosure, embodiments using GPSor Bluetooth™ modules are discussed in more detail, but the technologyis not limited thereby. Other useful sensors may include a light sensor,enabling automatic control of the alert signal responsive to externalimpinging light levels or temporal patterns, or a microphone forenabling similar control in response to external sound levels andpatterns. Circuit 112 may also include a system clock or timer formeasuring a current time, or elapsed time.

Alert signal control as described herein should be distinguished fromcommand-based control. The Bluetooth™ unit 122, the GPS receiver 124,and other input sensors (if used) are not used merely for commandcontrol of the auto-disable feature. Instead, sensors are used fordetermining a present environmental status of the mobile device, andthen decision logic is applied using the CPU in response to sensorinput, to determine how alert signals for incoming messages should becontrolled. Therefore, the portable device 100 responds differently toincoming messages depending on an external measured environmental statethat is determined without command input. Of course, the use ofenvironmental-based alert signal control need not exclude command-basedcontrol, of which complementary use may often be desirable. For example,circuit 112 may be configured to permit configuration of an auto-alertdisable system in response to user command input.

One environmental variable of interest in alert signal control mayinclude velocity. It may be desirable to mute (disable) the alert signalwhen the phone is moving at greater than a specified speed. A currentvelocity may be easily determined by reference to a GPS receiver and asystem clock or timer. Other methods of determining location may also besuitable, such as by triangulation from any other known transmittersthat make up a cellular network. However with present technology GPSlocating is both accurate and relatively inexpensive, and may provide asuitable means for determining the mobile device's present location.

In lieu of an internal GPS receiver 124, device 100 may obtain itslocation and/or speed from any external source. This may be convenientlyaccomplished via a Bluetooth™ transmitter/receiver as currentlyimplemented in many cellular phones. Circuit 112 may periodically scanfor an authorized external Bluetooth™ signal to obtain environmentaldata. For example, a Bluetooth™ transmitter/receiver 202 may beintegrated into the electrical system of an automobile 200, as shown inFIG. 2. As such, the device 100 may have access to GPS location data viaa GPS receiver installed or located in the automobile. Device 100 mayalso receive current velocity information from the speedometer of car200 via the Bluetooth™ interface 202. Use of Bluetooth™ is merelyexemplary, and alternative communication standards may also be used,including but not limited to wired or wireless standards such as USB,wireless USB, Zigbee™ and UWB.

Device 100 may also determine its relative location inside car 200 viathe Bluetooth™ component 202 or other transmitter. For example, relativesignal strength or triangulation may be used within the car interior, ifso equipped. In the alternative, the car 200 or device 100 may beconfigured to ask the user where in the car the phone is located, inresponse to detecting that it has entered into the vehicle. For example,when a user carrying device 100 enters car 200, the presence of thephone may be detected and an onboard computer may output a verbalquestion such as “Is John a driver or passenger?” to which the user mayreply “passenger” or “driver” as the case may be. The onboard computermay inform device 100 of the response to the query. The mobile device100 may control the alert signal in accordance with the receivedresponse, for example, by disabling the alert signal on aspeed-sensitive basis only if the response or other sensor dataindicates that the mobile device is being used by the driver. The driverwill therefore not be distracted by alert signals from device 100 whiledriving the car above a defined threshold speed, which may be any numberof zero or greater.

Device 100 may also consider message parameters when determining whetherto disable alert signaling. For example, certain message senders mayhave a capability to mark some messages or incoming calls as “urgent.”Device 100 may be configured to selectively disable alert signals forincoming messages that are not marked as “urgent” by an authorizedsender, while providing alert signals for urgent messages regardless ofsensor input, or only in a narrower range of environmental conditions.For example, device 100 may provide alert signals for “urgent” markedmessages while moving up to speeds of 60 miles per hour and for allother messages while moving up to five miles per hour.

Use of a self-contained locating and velocity-measuring system in device100 may be advantageous for other reasons. For example, a portablecommunication device equipped with a GPS locating system may providevarious location-based services, including navigational guidance andlocation-specific advertising. Use of the GPS system for velocitydetermination in such a GPS-equipped device may be merely incidental,and therefore may add negligible cost to the device.

FIG. 3 shows a method 300 for controlling alert signaling in a portablemessaging device, such as may be performed using software or firmwareoperating in a device as described herein. Method 300 represents aperformance loop that may be initialized shortly after powering up thedevice. A computer-readable medium may be used to store programinstructions, that when executed by a processor of the portablemessaging device, cause the device to perform as described herein below.After the loop is initialized, the device may scan for input 302 to oneor more ports capable of receiving sensor (e.g., GPS) input. Scanningmay be done periodically, and/or in response to an interrupt originatingfrom a sensor device. In the alternative, or in addition, the device mayperiodically request sensor input from a connected sensor, which mayrespond to the device's requests with sensor data. The device may alsowirelessly broadcast a query signal seeking a response from any sensorsthat may be available in the immediate area.

After scanning for incoming sensor data, the device may receive andprocess sensor data 304. The sensor data may be time stamped and held ina memory of the device for later use. In the case of velocitydetermination, two or more of the most recent positional sensor data(indicating a current position of the sensor) may be held in systemmemory. In the alternative, or in addition, the device may calculate acurrent velocity and store in memory. Sensor data may be processed asnecessary to provide useful input for alert signal controlling. Forexample, a feature may be provided wherein the volume or intensity ofthe alert signal is modulated in response to ambient noise. The noisierthe ambient environment, the louder the alert signal provided, andconversely the alert signal volume may be diminished in quieterenvironments. To accomplish this control, the processor may usemicrophone input to calculate an average noise level over a recent timeslice, for example, for the most recent second or more recent tenseconds. The calculated noise level may then be stored in system memoryfor use in alert signal control. Similar use of sensor data may be usedto silence or lower the volume of the alert signal when theenvironmental light levels are low.

The portable messaging device may normally be in a wait state 306,waiting to receive an incoming message. During waiting, the device mayperiodically cycle through scanning, receiving and storing sensor dataas described above. The wait state may be interrupted when an incomingmessage is received 308. The feature of automatic signal disabling orautomatic volume control as described herein may be subject to manualcontrol, so that a user of the device may shut off this feature when itis not desired. Thus, before executing an alert signal control routine,the device may determine whether or not the automatic alert signalcontrol feature has been temporarily turned off at 310. If automaticcontrol has been disabled, the device may output an alert signal 312according to default or user-specified parameters, and dispose of theincoming message (whether phone call, text message, electronic mail, orother) in a normal fashion 314.

If automatic control has been enabled 310, the device may determine amost recent or a present environmental state 316 of the device byretrieving most recent stored sensor input from system memory. In thealternative, sensor input may be solicited and received in response toreceipt of the incoming message 308. Examples of environmental state mayinclude, for example, the position and velocity of the device,acceleration of the device, ambient noise level, ambient light level, orany other sensor-based measure that may be useful for controlling analert signal. Optionally, the device may determine a message status 318with respect to alert signal control. Message metadata or othercharacteristics may indicate a special status used to modulate the alertsignal, for example “message type,” (e.g., “voice call”, “e-mail” etc.)“urgent,” “normal,” or “low-priority.” Status indicators such as thesemay be used to determine how to control that alert signal in conjunctionwith the environmental indicators.

After collecting environmental and (optionally) message parameters, theportable messaging device may evaluate the parameters against definedrules to determine whether or not conditions have been satisfied 320 forproviding an immediate alert signal. Various exemplary rules have beendescribed above. For example, the alert signal may be disabled if thedevice is moving at greater than a threshold velocity, if the ambientlight levels are too low, etc. Even an ambient temperature may be usedas input to a control scheme, as it may indicate whether or not thedevice is being worn close to a user's body. If conditions for providingan alert signal are not satisfied, the device does not output an alertsignal 322 at that time. The device may delay output of the alert signaland may hold the incoming message in a memory 324, and wait 306 untilenvironmental conditions change to satisfy conditions for providing analert. Live messages such as incoming voice calls may be rolled over tovoice mail while other messages may be placed in a message inbox. Duringa wait period, additional sensor input may be scanned for 302 orreceived 304. Program execution may then loop periodically back toenvironmental testing 316 and 320, so that the alert signal can bere-enabled once environmental conditions (e.g., device velocitydecreased to safe level) are satisfied 320.

If conditions for providing an alert signal are satisfied 320, thedevice may determine how to modulate the alert signal 326 in response toenvironmental or message parameters. Different signals may be providedbased on message priority type or urgency level. The volume or intensityof the alert signal may be controlled based on sensor input aspreviously described, for example, by changing the alert signal volumeor changing the alert tone. In the alternative, the alert signal is notmodulated and step 326 is omitted. The device may then output the alertsignal 312, and dispose of the message 314 in a conventional fashion.

The method 300 merely exemplifies a control scheme for controlling analert signal in response to environmental sensor input. The presenttechnology is not limited by this example.

1.-20. (canceled)
 21. A portable messaging device, comprising: awireless receiver; a processor coupled to the wireless receiver; anaudio transducer coupled to the processor, for providing audible alertsignaling in response to incoming messages; a memory coupled to theprocessor; the memory holding program instructions that when operated bythe processor, cause the portable messaging device to obtain messagepriority information from incoming messages, and control a quality ofthe audible alert signaling based at least in part on the priorityinformation.
 22. The portable messaging device of claim 21, wherein theprogram instructions are further configured for selectively disable theaudible alert signaling in response to determining, for each one of theincoming messages, that a message priority specified by the messagepriority information is not higher than a defined priority threshold.23. The portable messaging device of claim 21, wherein the programinstructions are further configured for holding the incoming message forwhich the alert signal is automatically disabled in a memory until alater time.
 24. The portable messaging device of claim 21, furthercomprising a velocity sensor communicatively coupled to the processor,wherein the program instructions are further configured forautomatically disabling the audible alert signaling for an incomingmessage for which the audible alert signaling is not disabled based onthe priority information, in response to determining, based oninformation from the velocity sensor, that a current velocity of theportable messaging device exceeds a threshold.
 25. The portablemessaging device of claim 24, wherein the program instructions arefurther configured for automatically re-enabling audible alert signalingfor incoming messages, in response to determining that the currentvelocity of the portable messaging device no longer exceeds thethreshold, based on information from the velocity sensor.
 26. Theportable messaging device of claim 24, further comprising a wirelessreceiver coupled to the processor and configured to receive theinformation from the velocity sensor from an on-board transmitter in avehicle.
 27. The portable messaging device of claim 24, wherein thevelocity sensor comprises a GPS receiver configured to receive a GPSlocating signal and a timer.
 28. The portable messaging device of claim27, wherein the program instructions are further configured fordetermining the current velocity using the GPS locating signal and atime signal from the timer.
 29. The portable messaging device of claim23, wherein the program instructions are further configured measure aduration for which the current velocity is maintained continuously abovethe threshold, and automatically disabling audible alert signaling forincoming messages is further conditioned on determining that theduration exceeds a minimum time period.
 30. A method comprising:receiving an incoming wireless message, by the messaging device; readinga priority level assigned to the incoming message; and controllingemission of an audible alert signal from the portable messaging devicein response to the priority level, wherein a quality of the audiblealert signal is based on at least in part on the priority level.
 31. Themethod of claim 30, wherein the controlling comprises preventing theportable wireless messaging device from emitting any audible alertsignal in response to determining that the priority level is lower thana defined level.
 32. The method of claim 31, further comprising holdingthe incoming message in a memory of the portable wireless messagingdevice until a later time, if the device is prevented from emitting theaudible alert signal.
 33. The method of claim 30, further comprisingdetermining a current velocity of the portable wireless messaging deviceusing a processor of the portable messaging device coupled to a velocitysensor, based on information from the velocity sensor; determining thatthe current velocity of the portable messaging device is greater than athreshold; preventing emission of the audible alert signal from theportable messaging device in response to the determining.
 34. The methodof claim 33, further comprising determining the current velocity byreceiving a velocity signal from a velocity sensor installed in a motorvehicle.
 35. The method of claim 33, further comprising re-enabling theaudible alert signal for signaling an incoming message, in response todetermining that the current velocity is not greater than the definedthreshold.
 36. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded withinstructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a portablewireless device to: receive an incoming wireless message, by themessaging device; read a priority level assigned to the incomingmessage; and control emission of an audible alert signal from theportable messaging device in response to the priority level, wherein aquality of the audible alert signal is based on at least in part on thepriority level.
 37. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, furtherencoded with instructions that, when executed by the processor, causethe portable wireless device to control the emission at least in part bypreventing the portable wireless messaging device from emitting anyaudible alert signal in response to determining that the priority levelis lower than a defined level.
 38. The computer-readable medium of claim36, further encoded with instructions that, when executed by theprocessor, cause the portable wireless device to hold the incomingmessage in a memory of the portable wireless messaging device until alater time, if the device is prevented from emitting the audible alertsignal.
 39. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, further encodedwith instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause theportable wireless device to: determine a current velocity of theportable wireless messaging device using a processor of the portablemessaging device coupled to a velocity sensor, based on information fromthe velocity sensor; determine that the current velocity of the portablemessaging device is greater than a threshold; prevent emission of theaudible alert signal from the portable messaging device in response tothe determining.
 40. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, furtherencoded with instructions that, when executed by the processor, causethe portable wireless device to re-enabling the audible alert signal forsignaling an incoming message, in response to determining that thecurrent velocity is not greater than the defined threshold.